stocking the mating nuc

[jmgi]

Trying queen rearing this year, probably will use a four frame medium for the mating nuc, other than putting in a frame of honey and pollen, does it help to put in a little brood also? If so, does it matter whether it's sealed brood or open brood? About how many bees can I get by with when I stock the nuc? After stocking nuc but before inserting queen cell, should the bees be screened in for a day? What about after the cell is put in, can you confine them for a couple days to make sure they stay. Thanks, John.

[Jgabbert]

I put in at least one frame of brood and two if they have pollen or honey around the edge.i put in frames of sealed and open brood with the nurse bees that are on the frames. I shake 3 or 4 frames of bees on top of the grafting frame in addition to having 4 frames full of bees. I don't confine mine at all. I let them fly and forage. I leave the cells in the same nuc for 10 days they into incubator or into a split or a new nuc. I have 20 cells coming out one Wednesday. It is warm here during the day and we have drones for mating. Jim

[Whitetail]

Absolutely. Add a good frame of brood with accompaning workers. You want the nuc to build a population to fend, defend, and forage for themselves. Sealed brood is best, as the cell you introduce will be their only option. Ideally you need to transport the nuc a mile or more from the parent colony to prevent the foragers from returning home. Putting it in the same yard is a futile attempt. If they are of flight age, they'll go home. Keep in mind when moving the nuc, that the area they're being moved too requires adequate drones for mating.

[jmgi]

Jgabbert, are you talking about stocking a cell builder instead of a mating nuc, it sounds like alot of bees and brood to put into a mating nuc? John

[Jgabbert]

Yes, I am talking about my cell builder Nuc. My. Bad. I am having a great time in my second year with bees and my first early season grafting queens. My first Queen just started laying 2 days ago.Jim

[jmgi]

Jgabbert, second year with bees and grafting already, sounds like you are progressing nicely along. I think producing ones's own queens is such an important part of beekeeping especially if you are trying to grow at least a small size business, but even as a hobbyist it can be rewarding. I hope to experience some success at it myself this year. John